Winterizing my Skippy filter

[kturner]

MY FIRST WINTER WITH SKIPPY I LIVE IN ARKANSAS I HAVE SOME FROGBIT I BELIEVE IN IT AND LOTS OF SCRUBBIES

I CAN RUN THE PUMP ALL WINTER BUT DONT KNOW IF THATS GOOD THING OR NOT.MY SKIPPY HAS NEVER BEEN
CLEANED SO ITS REALLY GOT ALOT OF GOOD BACTERIA RIGHT NOW AND WATER IS PERFECT ANY ADVICE WOULD
BE A BIG HELP THANKS.

 

[addy1]

Do you freeze bad there? If you run your pump all winter, you could run your skippy also.

 

[sissy]

Bacteria in the filter dies at a certain temp at least thats what they say but not sure there is any real proof on that .I leave mine running until I see ice starting to form on my pond and turn it off so nothing freezes and overflows the filter and empties my pond .But I do live in VA .I take a lot of my floating plants in the basement and over winter them .But my basement is unfinished and is well insulated .

 

[DrCase]

I just watch the weather and turn off my filters after a few real cold days and my water gets slushy
I also take off my drain valves and put on rubber caps for the winter,

 

[kturner]

Thanks for the tips.

 

[callingcolleen1]

I don't think all bacteria dies off in winter, I think it just goes dormant, and some bacteria can live in very cold water. Don't know much about your skippy cause I don't have one, but I can tell you of many positive benefits to wintering your pond. Different types of aquatic life will find your pond if you winter it and not "clean it to death". I have been winter my ponds for 20 plus years now, and I have lots of different types of aquatic life, like dragon fly nympths, water striders, wild snails, and even leeches. My pond looks great, fish are very healthy and some over 21 years old now. I think if you winter your pond, all the life will come back, and your pond plants will do better, and each year you will find that more and more aquatic life will call your pond "home sweet home"!